Lacquer and lacquer enamel containing certain petroleum products



Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED-'-srA'rEsf A'rsNr OFFICE nous n. LOUGOVOY, or summi asslonon '.ro mrs-ros'rnn conrant, or nom'onamxnw mam-n coaromrron or mzw mm moa'm moounn mummcon'rnnnre charm rmnomux raonuc'rs invention relates to a coating compo sition contamin cellulose ethers or esters, and relates particularly ,to nitrocellulose solutions adapted for use as lacquers or lacquer out pigments carried in a vehiclecomprisa petroleiim distillate boiling preferably above 100 0., but preferably not exceedingabout 150 0.; said distillate referably contaming'some unsaturated hy ro carbons derived by cracking operations.

As a true solvent for .the nitrocellulose I prefer to use one which does not possess excessive volatility, and find butyl acetate desirable for the purpose.

While butyl acetate dissolves nitrocellulose readily, it does not permit of a considerable addition of the petroleum hydrocarbon fraction referred to above without yielding cloudy films. These are not desirable as when transparent eflects are required, and even when pigments are used, the fact that the film is of a turbid character leads-to the suspicion'that it is not homogeneous, and therefore, that its durability as a coating will not prove satisfactory.

Petroleum distillates having very low boiling points, as, for example, 0., are usually inappropriate, at least if present in any quantity, in' 'p'roducing the composition of the present invention. -On the other hand, distillates boiling above 200 0., as a rule are too heavy, remaining in the film exposed to evaporation for a period longer than that of the nitrocellulose solvents and causing precipitation. Above 50 0., and preferably below 200 0., therefore, constitutes what may be termed approximately the limiting range of boiling points. However, I prefer a distillate with a more restricted range than the foregoing, as, for example, I may use one boiling between 0., and 135 0., e. g.,

this fraction from a distillate obtained by cracking petroleum under several atmospheres ressure. A more. desirable distillate 18 that iling between 0., or 0.,

Application minh s... 1c, is. mm r... 09,502.

up to butyl. acetate, which I solution onto a flat surface and allowin the 0., or 160 0. In general by employing a distillate having a boiling point range not greater than 3035 0., desirable results may be secured in the practice of my invention: For example, adistillate whose lower boiling point is 125 0., may have an upper boiling point of approximately 0. By confining the distillate, especially one containing cracked petroleum, within such specified limiting boiling points, I obtain very useful eflects.

In the manufacture of lacquer enamels which are to be applied by spraying devices, I may use such restricted boiling point distiI- lates to advantage.

The effect of using such narrow range petroleumldistillates with nitrocellulose gives rise to certain unexpected results. Using an effective nitrocellulose solvent, for example,

prefer, and addm narrow range boiling point petroleum disti late to a so ution of soluble cotton in butyl acetate, it is possible to add the distillate m at least an equal volume without producing a cloudy solution. On pouring out such a u coating .to dry, a cloudy or opa ue 1s likelyto result. I have discovers however,

that the addition of a small. amount of a third solvent, such as butyl alcohol, orndiacetone alcohol, will overcome this cloudiness,

yielding a clear brilliant film. The proportion of ,the butyl alcohol (bu-tanol) required, is surprisingl ,.small,i.ordinarily threeto five per cent of t e clarifying agent being sufficient to accom lish the desired result.

In one case prepared from petroleum products a distillate lwhoseboiling pointrange was between the narrow limits of 130 and 150 0. Such a product was obtained by the fractionation of a' hydrocarbon mixture containing both straight-run gasoline and pressure cracked gasoline, and therefore having cyclic bodies and unsaturated compounds, the presence of which I consider desirable in pre- 95 paring compositions in accordance with the present invention. v

A twenty per cent solution of low viscosity soluble cotton (what is known as one-half second cotton) was prepared with butyl acem tate as the solvent. I found that this solution could be diluted with the above narrow-range boiling-point petroleum fraction to the extent of equal volumes, or evensix parts of the petroleum fraction to five parts of the butyl acetate solution, without causing any precipitation of the nitro cotton. One composition was made having the proportion of one part of nitro cotton, five parts of butyl acetate, and six parts of petroleum distillate. The solution was clear, but on evaporation, an opaque white film, considered valueless from the coating standpoint, was obtained. It was found, however, most surprisingly, that this fihn could be rendered transparent when dry, if a few 'per cent of certain solvents were added to the solution.

- Thus, four or 'five per cent of primary butyl alcohol,'or commercial butanol, diacetone alcohol, or amyl alcohol, were found to serve as effective .clarifiers.

When resins, which are frequently required in l'acquer enamels to give adhesion, are prescut, the difliculties of making a clear film increase. Many resins are not soluble in such petroleum distillates. This is especially true of a number of synthetic resins, such as those prepared from glycerine and organic acids. Certain natural resins, such as damar or shellac, are not readilysoluble in petroleum distillates.

. Byemploying cracked distillate of appropriate boiling point spread, with or without straight run distillate, I am able'to employ 'fectiveness.

many of these resins despite their very great variation in solubility characteristics.

My invention is especially useful in the case of low viscosity nitro cotton. The employment of cracked petroleum distillate with such low viscosity cotton is most advantageous and affords a solvent mixture of novel characteristicswand of surprising ef- Furthermore, the use of socalled alcohol-soluble nitro cotton is not preeluded. The invention in one phase, therefore, embraces a coating composition comprising such low viscosity nitro cotton, a solvent therefor, and a cracked petroleum distillate, having a boiling point range preferably within the general limits indicated.

While I have specified a distillate having a boiling point spread of 30 to 35 C.,

-I do not wish to be limited to this in all cases but may use a fraction boiling between 100 and 150 C., thus having a spread of 50., or in some cases, may increase the spread to a greater extent, preferably avoiding the highly volatile low fractions of excessive infiammability with consequent fire hazard, e. g., below 40. or 50 C. In such low fractions also there may be present unsaturated petroleum distillates, especially those containing cracked material, it is recommended that the pigment employed be ground with the nitrocellulose solution containing the I petroleum distillate; employing a ball mill,

or similar efi'ective grinding means, and continuing 'the grinding until the pigment reaches a state of fineness or dispersion such ceeding the lowest boiling point component thereof by more than 35 C.

2. A coating composition comprising a. solution of nitrocellulose in a volatile solvent vehicle comprising a substantial proportion of a petroleum distillate boiling between 130 C., and 150 C., and containing a clarifying agent; whereby clear films are obtained on evaporation. a 3. A liquid coating compositlon comprising nitrocellulose, butyl acetate and a petroleum distillate, boiling between and 150 C.

4. A composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent and avpetroleum distillate boiling between 100 and 150 C., which contains unsaturated hydrocarbons derived from cracking operations.

5. A coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, butyl acetate and a distillate from cracked petroleum, said distillate having a boiling point between 125 and 160 C.

6. A coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent, a petroleum distillate boiling between 100 and 150 C., and containing unsaturated hydrocarbons derived from ing clarifier.

7. A coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent therefore, and a distillate, boiling between 100 and 135 C., derived from pressure cracked petroleum.

8. A liquid coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent therefor, and a distillate boiling between 130 and 150 C., obtained from a hydrocarbon mixture containing both straight run and pressure cracked gasoline.

9. A liquid coating composition comprising low viscosity nitrocellulose, butyl acetate and a petroleum distillate boiling between bodies which resinify on exposure," forming 100. and 150 C.

products incompatible with nitrocellulose, which is disadvantageous. I

In making lacquers, when employing such 10. liquid coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent therefor, and a cracking operations, and an alcohol containpetroleum distillate, boiling between 100 and 150 0., and containing unsaturated hydrocarbons derived from cracking operations, and a resin. I

11. A liquid coating composition comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent therefor, a troleum v 0., and containing unsaturated hydrocarbons derived from cracking operations, and a synthetic resin.

12. A liquid coating composition'comprising nitrocellulose, a solvent therefor, and a petroleum distillate boiling between and BORIS N. LOUGOVOY.

distillate boiling between 100 an 150 

